25 years ago, my country of birth voted fair and square for a man who promised to end the dark times and return them to days of glory with a strong hand. His name was Vladimir Putin.

Back then, the powerful force was resentment, and honestly, they had good objective reasons to feel that way, too, given how the 90s were in Russia. It didn't make their choice any less misguided, though.

2024 in US felt familiar.